Does Being an Auditor Require Long Hours

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Comments (18)

Kay
in Louisville, Colorado

99 months ago

Any career that you want to succeed in requires long hours, and not just when you're starting out. And yes, it can be grueling because the toughest part of the job is getting the evidence requested in on time. Often times you're working really long days towards the end of the audit because you don't get your evidence until the 11th hour. Auditors also have to travel alot too.

Kay in Louisville, Colorado said: Any career that you want to succeed in requires long hours, and not just when you're starting out. And yes, it can be grueling because the toughest part of the job is getting the evidence requested in on time. Often times you're working really long days towards the end of the audit because you don't get your evidence until the 11th hour. Auditors also have to travel alot too.

Thanks for that reply. You and this site are helping people like me decide on a career. Thanks a lot I appreciate it.

Kevin in Santa Ana, California said: Thanks for that reply. You and this site are helping people like me decide on a career. Thanks a lot I appreciate it.

The good part about being an auditor though is that you are constantly learning. Every audit provides new situations and challenges. Legislation and regulations change too, so it seldom gets to be a boring situation. Also, certifications do actually mean something in this career field so if you do pursue you CIA, CISA or other certification is does payoff.

Kay in Louisville, Colorado said: The good part about being an auditor though is that you are constantly learning. Every audit provides new situations and challenges. Legislation and regulations change too, so it seldom gets to be a boring situation. Also, certifications do actually mean something in this career field so if you do pursue you CIA, CISA or other certification is does payoff.

Hello ~ I've been looking online for some good study material and the most thorough appears to be from IIA, which is expensive. Any other suggestions?

Kevin in Santa Ana, California said: I'm in college majoring in Accounting. I just wanted to know from someone who's in the field. Does being an Auditor require long hard hours when starting out? Thanks any info would be helpful.

Thanks

Kevin:

Are you attending one of the State University campuses? I graduated from Ca. State Northridge in 1969 and probably had some of the same questions in mind regarding employment as an auditor. I hope the following will help you in considering auditing as a profession.

Upon graduation from CSUN in 1969, I accepted a position (GS-7)with the Federal Department of Health, Education and Welfare Audit Agency (now known as the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of InspectorGeneral - Office of Audit). My initial assignment was with the Los Angeles branch where I developed expertise in performeing audits of Federal grants and contracts awarded nonprofit entities and colleges and universities. While employeed in the L.A. branch, I studied for and passed the CPA exam (all costs were paid by the Federal government). In 1979 I accepted a position with the HHS Office of Audit in Atlanta, Ga. In 2002, my wife and I retired and moved to Crossville, TN.

Regarding Your expressed concerns regarding long hard work hours, I offer the following:

1. I very seldum worked any overtime, and when I did, I sometimes received compensation.

2. Auditing can be difficult - not only when initially employeed - but throughout your career. However, I found the satisfaction I received (internally as well as from my peers and supervisors) from completing an audit provided enough encentive for me to look forward to difficult assignments (i.e. audits to determine whether recipients of Federal contracts or grants intentionally used the funds for unauthorzed purposes - fraud).

in public accounting it's about billings, and the sense of getting it down correctly. By nature the work is tedious and those that perform it kinda have that uncertainty about themselves. Surprisingly, that is how it has always been,,,,even the most certain of certain people is a little saken when a nay-sayer has compliant about his work.

I am going into college next year and i am planning to major in accounting so that I can become an auditor. I was wondering if i can get any information such as how many hours a day I am going to be wondering and what my salary will be. I will be really thankful if i can receive any information from someone that is in this field.

Kevin in Santa Ana, California said: I'm in college majoring in Accounting. I just wanted to know from someone who's in the field. Does being an Auditor require long hard hours when starting out? Thanks any info would be helpful.

Thanks

Hi im only 12 years old but was wandering if you have to be a math wise to be a auditor?

I work for a big 4 accounting firm and I will let you know that if you are afraid of working long hours this job probably isnt for you. It does all depend on the size of firm you work for, your client base, and your deadlines but generally the nature of our job requires a lot of processing of information and review of work at many levels which takes a lot of time. Right now I am in busy season and I say I get into work at about 8:30 and stay until about 9 or 9:30 but that is leaving early compared to a lot of co-workers. You will typically be your busiest Jan-March but it depends if you clients are public or private and also depends on the fiscal year end of your clients which is really the busiest time.

There are many rewarding things about this career but it is definately hard work, frustrating, exhausting etc. But at the same time that all comes with an extensive amount of growth and increased knowledge. There is a steep learning curve in this profession but once you start to get the hang of it , it feels pretty good. But there is ALWAYS more to learn and plenty of ways to develop. So if you are lookig for a job with growth opportunity this job will most definately provide you with that. Good Luck!!

jaimaste in Los Angeles, California said: I work for a big 4 accounting firm and I will let you know that if you are afraid of working long hours this job probably isnt for you. It does all depend on the size of firm you work for, your client base, and your deadlines but generally the nature of our job requires a lot of processing of information and review of work at many levels which takes a lot of time. Right now I am in busy season and I say I get into work at about 8:30 and stay until about 9 or 9:30 but that is leaving early compared to a lot of co-workers. You will typically be your busiest Jan-March but it depends if you clients are public or private and also depends on the fiscal year end of your clients which is really the busiest time.

There are many rewarding things about this career but it is definately hard work, frustrating, exhausting etc. But at the same time that all comes with an extensive amount of growth and increased knowledge. There is a steep learning curve in this profession but once you start to get the hang of it , it feels pretty good. But there is ALWAYS more to learn and plenty of ways to develop. So if you are lookig for a job with growth opportunity this job will most definately provide you with that. Good Luck!!

I recently graduated from college with a bachelors in business management information systems. So i went to monster.com and i did a search for "IT" because i was looking for information technology. IT came up with IT Auditor and im very curious to see where this will take me. How do you recomend i become an auditor? Can i get hired a by a company when i have no experience and they pay to train me? or possibly i get a job somewhere and then possibly they pay to train me and move up. I just dont know really how to go about this. All of the jobs on the net are asking for 2 years of experience auditing so
i dont know how i can get 2 years experience with no options out there. Thank.s.

Honestly it depends on the type of auditor you want to be. Big 4 auditors mostly require a CPA and have long hours as mentioned above. These auditors mostly perform financial audits. However, if you want to be an operational auditor, the hours are normal. You are focusing on processes and procedures and how to improve them. You audit via examination of documents and conversations with the staff. You compare actual procedures to written and make any recommendations. Everyone does not hate you if you go in with the right attitude. You are not there to get anyone fired, you want to help them do their job better.

IT Auditors audit via programs or tests run on the computer that 'mine' the data into a format that can be reviewed.

To be an auditor, you need to be analytical, organized and personable. Definitely helps to have a CPA and/or CIA.

Raises are normal also. Not many people have received raises in three years. This has more to do with the economy than auditing.